Shattered: Act I
by PSPGamerGirl
Summary: FFVII AU. When Genesis fails to save Zack and Cloud, he joins AVALANCHE in hopes of taking Shinra down. Haunted by his past, he hides the fact that he was once a part of Shinra, but how long before his friends start to suspect?
1. Prologue

**To new readers: **Hi peoples! Hello and welcome to Shattered! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoy writing it. :)

As a side note, this story IS pretty much a crossover with Assassin's Creed, but since I'm not targeting ACs fans nearly as much and not bringing over any characters from it, I'm keeping it here. You don't even need to know really anything about AC to read this story.

Please enjoy!

**To old readers: **I HAVE RETUUUUUUURNED! I'm rreeeeeaaaallllllyy sorry this took so long again. D: I just wasn't happy with my writing or the characters before. Aerith was too much of a crybaby; Lexie was too Mary Sue; and Genesis was too emo, too nice, and not nearly as cocky and hotheaded as his character really is. And he never even quoted LOVELESS! D: I originally thought that Zack's death and all he'd been through would change him, but I now realize I was WAY overdoing it.

And yeah, it became a crossover... I'm not really sure how that happened... But worry not, those who have not played Assassin's Creed! This will not change the original plot in any way and you will still be able to follow easily! Just think of the Assassin's Creed part as extra goodies! All the changes you see in the main plot were still going to be there without the crossover coming into play. :)

To all: Google Translator is stupid. :/ *sigh* Don't bother putting the "Wutian/Wutainese" in it; it won't come out right. I'll just tell you what they're saying when it's important.

Anyway, I really do apologize for the delay!

Anybody who reads this, please put Terminator in your review again. :)

**Disclaimer: This disclaimer disclaims the disclamation of its disclaimancy and anything else you want to be disclaimed, including disclaimer that disclaims the fact that I came up with this disclaimer to disclaim that I own FF. Now did anyone actually follow that? **

* * *

**Date: October 1, 0007 **

**Location:** **Midgar: Sector 5**

A low rumble echoed through the polluted air underneath the Plates of the eight Sectors of Midgar. Rain had been cascading from deep grey clouds above the city since just past noon, and the time was now well after what many considered to be the middle of night. Precious few drops reached below the Plate normally, but the unceasing gallons of water had penetrated the densest parts of Sector 5, adding frigid wetness to the already oppressive atmosphere.

The icy liquid collected in pockets above the ground only to spill on those passing at select, unexpected times. Several of those instances had caught one man in particular, but he paid them no mind as they splattered on the left shoulder of his leather jacket. The bitter cold had no effect on him as he stood, paused, outside of an abandoned church, replaying the past few hours of his life over and over in his mind. He leaned against the wall, closing his eyes... remembering...

_"We're not monsters, you hear me? We're SOLDIER!"_

_"Open your eyes!"_

_"I've come here to help you!"_

_"Don't let it take over! You're not a monster, you're one of us!"_

_"You're gonna make it, too, you got that?"_

"Can I help you?" A soft, female voice drew him from his thoughts and back to the present. He instantly locked onto the face of a girl outside the church, carrying a flower basket with one hand and dressed in a light pink dress, who was standing not five feet away from him. She flinched, stepping back with an almost inaudible gasp as her deep, forest green eyes met his tired, mako infused ones.

"Aerith Gainsborough?" He already knew, and his face didn't give the slightest hint of emotion with the question. He was almost positive there were no other flower girls in the slums; it had to be her. Moreover, she was exactly the way Zack had described her.

"Maybe." She nodded slowly, not taking her eyes from his.

"I have a message for you." He swallowed. "It concerns Zackary Fair."

Her eyes widened suddenly, seeming to fill with hope for an instant before returning to their suspicious glare. Neither of them spoke for several seconds.

"Well?"

He hesitated. "It's a long story; we would be wise to take this inside." He pushed open the wooden door to the church.

She gave another slow nod of agreement. "Okay."

He held the door open for her, but she didn't budge. He felt a slight smile pull at the corner of his mouth. She was wise: she wasn't going to turn her back on him or let him out of her sight. Since he didn't share the same fear of her as she obviously did of him, he broke eye contact and stepped inside the church first. He didn't turn back to face her as he moved deeper into the abandoned building, instead relying on her footsteps on the creaking wooden floor to let him know she was following him.

"Um, hold on. Let me latch the doors so they don't blow open in this wind." She reversed her course, returning to the old, cracked doors from which he had detected the slightest metallic scent of rust on the hinges.

"Hmph," he acknowledged, still not even glancing in her direction. His eyes skimmed the interior of the church, taking in every detail. On this kind of night, anything could be lurking in the shadows. He paused when he reach the bed of flowers, which sat in a circular whole in the floor of the center the church. Haunting moonlight reflected off the closed yellow and white bulbs, and small rain droplets clung to them.

Though the church in the daytime might have been a nice sight, it was just plain eerie this night. The gaping hole in the ceiling, which no doubt normally kept the flowers alive with sunbeams, now let in the deadly flashes of lightning. That and the broken floorboards, multiple destroyed benches, and slowly crumbling pillars created an ominous environment most civilians would be terrified to enter.

"What are you doing in a place such as this at this hour?" He removed his right glove to run his hand across the top of one of the few still intact the benches. He closed his eyes as the sensation of the rough, moist texture scraped across his fingers and palm. Gaia, it was good to have full feeling back in at least one arm. Though he was exhausted both mentally and physically, and suffering from battle wounds he'd tried to cover up with bandages–he didn't have energy to use his materia–before coming here, pain was no longer lancing his bones and blocking out every other sensation. He felt more alive than he had in years.

"Oh, I was going to wait the storm out, but I realized that wasn't going to happen, so I'd just started home when you showed up." Her footsteps headed his direction again.

"I see," he said as tugged his glove back on. She had stopped directly behind him. He placed one foot behind the other, intending to turn around, but he never got the chance. Something struck him in the back of his skull and he fell unconscious before he hit the ground.

* * *

**November, 0323**

**Location: Unknown**

Static.

_"What's happening, Mr. Markku?"_

Confusion.

_"She's not staying synchronized. Her subconscious is resisting." _

Blurred figures.

_"Why? Everything was working fine."_

Pain.

_"Not sure..."_

Muffled sounds.

_"Miss Pyralis, listen closely. I need you to relax..."_

Blight lights.

_"That's not going to help. I'm pulling her out." _

Clicking sounds.

_"All right, Miss Pyralis. We're going to pull you out now. Just relax."_

A white flash, so much brighter than before.

"Are you all right?" The face of a young man, handsome and intelligent looking with green-blue eyes and medium length black hair, appeared above her.

Vessna bolted upright from her reclined position, gasping as she shot her hand out blindly. The hand connected with the young man's face out of pure chance and knocked him to the ground with a bloody lip while the her eyes frantically tried to find something familiar in her surroundings. There was nothing.

Plain, grey walls were on all sides, the only traces of color coming from a few holo displayers scattered about the large, open room. Doors sat in multiple places around her, but she didn't pause to count them. There were windows, but they didn't look like the kind one could jump through in order to escape. Then there was the device beneath her. It wasn't a bed, but it was shaped like one with a single terminal attached to the lower left side.

Sweat poured down her forehead and she blinked rapidly. She tried to calm her labored breathing as she spotted a second, older man with greying black hair standing to the right of the bed-like machine and wearing a black suit.

_Turk,_ she knew automatically.

She bolted, shoving the Turk out of the way with all her strength. She was barefooted, and her feet slapped quietly against the cold, concrete floor as she ran for the nearest door, clothed only in the black tank and pants she used for pajamas.

She didn't make it half way to the door before the Turk caught up with her and grabbed her around the waist while restraining her arms and picking her up to carry her–kicking and cursing–back to where she started.

"Now, Miss Pyralis, there's no need for all that," the Turk said with amusement in his voice as he dropped her back on the machine-bed.

"Where am I?" she hissed, trying to sound strong despite her growing terror. Her hands clenched the edge of the bed-machine so hard her knuckles started to turn white.

The Turk raised an eyebrow. "I'm sure you won't be surprised if I don't answer that, Miss Pyralis."

Her eyebrows drew together to form a hateful glare. "My name is Vessna. And no, that doesn't surprise me." Her voice rose. "What _did_ surprise me was someone _breaking into my apartment_ and _dragging _me out of it at_ three in the morning!_"

"Calm yourself, Miss Pyrali–"

"_Vessna!_"

The Turk flinched slightly at the volume of her voice. "_Calm yourself_, Miss Vessna."

"What do you want from me?" Her voice was slightly lower this time and more controlled as she repressed her fear.

He gave a dismissive hand gesture. "What those of my occupation usually search for." His almost black eyes snapped back to her. "Information."

"Information?" Her brow scrunched up. "I'm a _waitress_. What do you want me to do, teach you to balance dishes on top of each other while walking?"

A chuckle emanated from behind her and her eyes darted to look over her shoulder. She'd all but forgotten about the raven haired young man she'd hit across the face. He had regained his feet and was again in front of the terminal by the bed-machine, seeming to ignore the blood dripping from his lip as he glanced up at her with obvious amusement in his eyes. He then looked back down at the terminal and started typing.

Vessna frowned. A terminal? Who even used those anymore?

"I believe I will answer that question by asking one of my own," the Turk said, drawing her attention back to him. "Do you know who you're descended from, Miss Vessna?"

She gave him a blank look. "My ancestors?"

Another eerie chuckle emanated from the throat of the raven haired man, who didn't glance up from his furious typing this time. The Turk, on the other hand, scowled.

"Cute." Sarcasm dripped from his voice. "Yes, that's correct. But do you know who your most important ancestor was?"

Vessna frowned, shaking her head. "My grandfather was a well known scientist...is that what you mean?"

The Turk almost looked pained. "No... no, it is not." He withdrew a holo disc–a thin, circular disc which looked like it was made from thousand of pieces of glass, all reflecting a different shade of dark blue–from the front pocket of his jacket and held it up in his palm as he rubbed his thumb across the top of it. "The ancestor of yours to which I am referring is Genesis Rhapsodos." The holo disc lit up and began projecting a man with dark red hair. Vessna recognized his uniform as that of an old SOLDIER was fighting off monsters with a standard issue sword while standing back to back with a black haired man in the same attire.

Vessna stared at the Turk. "Is that a joke?"

He sighed. "No, Miss Vessna, it is not."

She kept staring at the projection, deducing that the recording was taken during a 2nd Class training exercise. "You're telling me...that I'm related to_ the_ Genesis Rhapsodos? As in, the greatest hero-slash-villain in the world?"

Another scowl crossed the Turk's face. "I suppose that's what he would be considered to the general public."

Vessna cocked her head, dragging her attention from the recording. "And what exactly is he to you?"

"A nuisance." The Turk practically spat out the words, dragging his fingers across the top of the disc again so the image flickered out. He returned the disc to his jacket pocket. "A respectable nuisance, but a nuisance none the less. He started a band of apprentices that interfere with our operations at every turn even to this day."

Vessna frowned. "You mean Annora?"

"I do, unfortunately." The Turk's eyes were almost glowing in rage.

Vessna ignored him. "Wait a minute... If I was Genesis Rhapsodos' descendant, wouldn't I have been automatically recruited into Annora when I was fifteen?"

"Ah, so you're not completely dense," the Turk answered mockingly. She glared at him. "Yes, under normal circumstances, you would have been, but we...intervened when you were very young. The Annora agent that was protecting you–your biological mother–managed to transfer you into a civilian's hands before she was killed, keeping us and the rest of Annora in the dark as to your whereabouts up until now."

Vessna had no idea how to respond to that. She'd always known she was adopted, but this was definitely not something she expected to find out about her biological parents. She'd never even really been curious about them before now.

"So...if you know I'm not part of Annora, what information do you think I'll have?" She had almost forgotten her terror with all the confusion.

The Turk shook his head. "Not you specifically. Genesis."

Vessna narrowed her eyes in irritation. "_What?_"

"Do you have any interest in science, Miss Vessna?"

She nearly leaped out of her seated position when the raven-haired man, who she now noticed was wearing a standard Shinra employ outfit, spoke up. She nodded with a confused frown still on her face. "A bit. It was one of my favorite subjects in school."

He smiled. "In that case, it may interest you to learn about our latest breakthrough. We discovered somewhat recently that there is a special part of your DNA that houses your ancestors' memories." He gestured to the bed-machine. "That is what we call an Animus. It lets us unlock those memories and see them."

Vessna stared at him blankly. "You're insane."

He put on what was obviously a pretend hurt face. "No need for insults."

"_Markku,_" the Turk growled. "I have no time for your foolishness. Is the Animus ready again?"

Marrku nodded. "Yes, Director, we're good to go."

A vague part of Vessna's mind wanted to scream as she realized the frightening man in front of her was not only a member of the Turks, he was their_ leader. _However, she was preoccupied with other, more important matters at the moment. "I'm not going back in that...thing!"

"Animus." Marrku raised a finger.

"Whatever!"

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter, Miss Vessna." The Director narrowed his eyes. "If you don't cooperate, we can induce a coma and get the information that way. Your mind will never recover when we're done."

Vessna shook her head. "Then why not just do that? Why waste time telling me all this?"

The Director shrugged. "This process goes much faster if the subject cooperates. At least this way there's a chance you'll live."

Vessna glared at him for a few seconds, and then averted her eyes to the floor. "Can I least get some real clothes first?"

The Director smirked. "Soon. We'll just ease you into the process for tonight, then you may rest, eat, bathe, cry in corner, or what you feel like for a few hours before we start up again. Now, please lay down."

"Lie," she corrected, earning a glare before doing as he said.

Markku started typing. "All right, I need you to relax."

Vessna snorted. "Easer said than done when you've been kidnapped..."

He chuckled. "Fair enough, but please try."

She took a deep, slow breath and released it. A hologram appeared in front of her eyes, displaying what looked like a computer menu. DNA strands spiraled around in several different sets.

"What am I doing here?"

"That's a catalogue of all your ancestors' memories," Markku's voice told her. "You see the DNA strand that's red?"

One DNA strand suddenly lit up from its dull blue into a vibrant red hue.

"Uh-uh..."

"Good. Try to focus on that one."

Vessna did so, and the other strands disappeared as the red one enlarged and split into many more.

"All right, great. Now, you just focused specifically on Genesis' memories. The one we need to access is the one in the center there." The strand flared before going dim. "Unfortunately, we can't."

Vessna frowned slightly. "Why not?"

"Well, in past cases, we've found that when the subject's ancestor went through a great deal of trauma or stress or something like that, we can't access the memory directly. Your subconscious resists. We have to start at an earlier memory and work our way into the later one. The reason you desynchronized earlier was because I didn't start you far enough away from one of those memories, and your mind rejected it. Thing is, Genesis appears to have a _phenomenal_ amount of stress and trauma in his life because there are actually about eight entire years_ in a row _we can't lock onto, and then there's a very small gap and a bunch more memory memories we can't access. We're going to put you at the beginning of that gap, okay? Just focus on the highlighted segment."

A different segment lit up. "Okay... I'm focusing..." Vessna took in a deep breath as a blinding light overtook her senses.

* * *

**Date: September 3, 0007 **

**Location: Ruins of Banora**

Warm. He felt warm. Not just on the surface of his skin, but in his blood for the first time since his degradation had reached such a severe stage years ago. He almost thought it was a dream, and he didn't dare open his eyes for several seconds after he regained consciousness. Eventually, the cold breeze on his face roused him enough to drag open his eyelids. He blinked a few times as his mako eyes adjusted quickly to the change in light. His surrounding were too familiar for it to take much time to remember where he was and the events of his last few hours came rushing back instantly.

Genesis shot to his feet and found the bright sun still in the sky. He relaxed a little as he realized he'd only been unconscious for a few hours. The change in temperature had made him think it was longer, but that appeared to be due to a cold front moving in, if the dark clouds on the horizon were anything to go by. A storm was on the brick of reaching him. He didn't particularly want to get caught in it, so he decided to leave quickly.

But where would he go? He honestly hadn't thought about what he was going to do after he was cured. It had been his ultimate goal for so long he'd almost forgotten about any other plans he'd once had.

As he was contemplating, something hit the ground in front of him with a _thump_. He glanced down to find the Banora White Zack had placed in his hand just a few hours ago. Strange, he hadn't even really felt it in his grip in the first place. He clenched his left fist and frowned at the strange sensation that came from doing so. A sudden crackle of thunder in the distance made him return his focus to his location and dismiss the problem with his hand. It was probably only a lingering remnant of degradation that would disappear in a few days' time.

He thought where he would go once he left the ruins of his home town. He needed a plan. For some reason his thoughts kept coming back to Zack. Genesis closed his eyes, frustrated at his own weakness. He _owed_ Zack. The man had never given up on him, even after everyone else had. Zack had still believed he was worth saving.

His eyes flickered open again as he made his decision. He wasn't going to let Angeal's student get killed by Shinra after all he'd been put through in the last few years. Wherever Zack was headed, he was going to help him get there.

He turned his gaze to the sky again and estimated the time he had until the storm arrived. Seeing he only had ten minutes at best, he broke into a brisk jog towards the Banora caves. He knew the winding passages by heart, and it didn't take him long to find the item he was searching for.

He slid his gloved hand around the cool metal of the crimson Rapier that was sticking out of the ground in front of him. It glistened in the narrow beam of light pouring down from a crack in the ceiling. It was really the only thing of color in the entire maze of caves. He pulled gently on the hilt, freeing the blade from the grey dirt without effort.

A crack of thunder echoed through the area and a few raindrops fell from the various cracks in the ceiling. One drop in particular landed in a puddle already on the floor of the cave, causing a gentle splash. The sound drew the ex-SOLDIER's attention, and he watched the ripples distorted his reflection in the water.

"_Ripples form on the water's surface, the wandering soul knows no rest_," he whispered softly.

His eyes drifted away from the puddle. Strange how at least one verse in every stanza of LOVELESS related to him. He was no doubt a wandering soul at this point in his life, and he hadn't truly rested in years.

He shook his head. Now was not the time to be wallowing in thought. There was a 1st Class SOLDIER out there who needed his help, and he wasn't going to let him down, even if it meant flying through the freezing rain. As soon as he cleared the cave, he extended his jet-black wing and took to the skies.

It was going to be quite a search to find a 1st Class SOLDIER who was trying to stay hidden. Fortunately, he had years of training and experience in the wilderness that Zack didn't, and Zack was also literally dragging someone with him. Odds were Genesis would find Zack before Shinra did.

* * *

Genesis sighed in irritation as he scrutinized the forest again from the skies. It turned out Zack didn't _need_ years of experience in staying hidden in the wilderness: he was either a natural at it or the rain was washing away his trail. Genesis had only managed to find tracks that were already days old, and those had been left during a hurried battle, by the looks of the patterns. It seemed that even though Zack was dragging his catatonic friend with him, he was living up to his reputation as a 1st.

As Genesis circled around again, he frowned, remembering something he'd read on Zack's Shinra personnel file. He suddenly felt incredibly stupid. Of course Zack wasn't leaving much of a trace: he was no city dweller–he was a country boy from _Gongaga_. Before joining Shinra he'd probably spent half his life in the woods. Genesis swore. This definitely complicated things.

Just as he was thinking of all the ways in which he could adjust his searching strategy, something caught his eye. It was faint, but there were slight wisps of smoke rising from the trees. He frowned in thought. Zack was too smart to leave a sign like that. He was trained to withstand harsh weather conditions; he wouldn't risk lighting a fire unless he thought it necessary. Genesis pondered this for a few seconds, and he came to one conclusion that made sense: Zack likely didn't need the fire, but the unconscious infantryman probably did, and Zack was the type willing to risk being caught if it would help his friend survive.

Genesis angled his wing and started descending towards the area. He chose a narrow break between the trees to make a quiet landing. As he drew near to the ground, he fluttered his wing rapidly in order to hover for a moment before his feet connected with solid matter. He wing disappeared, leaving only a few lingering black feathers and some scattered leaves in his wake as he moved under a dense canopy of trees, taking refuge beneath their wide leaves from the icy droplets, which had turned into half-formed hail.

As he continued forward, he brushed off the shoulders of his jacket, trying to rid it of the layer of water on its surface. He silenced his footsteps as he drew close to the source of the smoke. He knew if he wasn't cautious, Zack could very well take his head off before he realized he wasn't an enemy.

Genesis stopped at the edge of a campsite, scanning the area briefly before entering it fully. It was obvious Zack had left already. Much to Genesis' surprise, a small, now dead fire and a few spots of smashed grass were left behind, along with a deep gash in the ground _and_ tracks leading deeper into the woods. He silently made his way to the gash first, hoping to find some answers. Upon closer inspection, he recognized it as an incision made by the Buster Sword when it was dug into the ground in order to keep it from falling over.

He frowned, not having expected Zack to be so careless. Perhaps the rain _was _what was keeping him hidden. Zack playing in the woods when he was younger didn't necessarily mean he knew how to cover his tracks well. Or perhaps he was in too much of a hurry. The monsters in the area were highly dangerous, after all.

Genesis rose from his crouched position by the gash and made his way to the remains of the small fire. Kneeling again, he removed his right glove and placed his hand near the ashes. They were still warm, as to be expected from the smoke, but heat told him that he was very close to catching up with Zack.

His train of thought was shattered as an ear-splitting scream tore through the air, silencing the wildlife and startling several flocks of birds into flight. Genesis snapped his head around, eyes narrowing as he yanked his glove back on and summoned his sword while breaking into a run. The scream was one of agony, of almost certain defeat, and it undoubtedly had come from the man he was searching for.

* * *

Zack Fair sighed as he stared out from his small shelter beneath a few trees into the rain. He didn't know where exactly he and Cloud were, but the only things around for miles were trees and grass. His muscles ached from overuse, injury, and malnutrition, but he dared not use anything to sooth them. They were running low on food, potions, and ethers, but the chances of them finding civilization anytime soon weren't very high, and he knew that. It was almost killing him to do so, but he had to be frugal with what they had. Sitting still was making a potion seem even more tempting, however, as his muscles were becoming more cramped the longer he stayed inactive.

He didn't particularly mind traveling in the rain, but he knew it wouldn't help Cloud's condition any. That fact, unfortunately, did not keep him from being restless. Even if his muscles weren't giving him grief, he didn't like sitting still for any length of time, especially now he knew he was being hunted by Shinra.

A sudden growl had Zack instinctively grasping the hilt of the Buster Sword. The noise was close enough he knew he was going to have to fight whatever it was that was coming. He grunted as he heaved himself from the ground and into a somewhat balanced stance, then staggered into a slightly less dense part of the forest where the ice cold rain began to strike his face. The refreshing blast made him snap to almost full awareness and he pushed forward in search of the creature.

A couple of minutes passed without sound, and he began to feel jumpy. Monsters didn't usually hide from something they were trying to attack. He frowned. Well, that was unless–

Zack's eyes abruptly widened in realization and he threw himself to one side just as an Iron Claw he hadn't seen before leaped from a nearby tree and sliced where he'd been an instant ago. Zack let out a curse as three more Iron Claws landed only yards from him. Of course this was an ambush–he'd been too unfocused to see it before.

He gritted his teeth and instinctively charged up one of his favorite magical attacks. The Iron Claws began closing in, but Zack withheld the attack until they were almost within striking distance. Just as one of the creatures was drawing back four of its eight claw-arms to strike, Zack let the built-up magic loose. Several lightning bolts shot down around him in a random pattern, hitting three of the five Iron Claws, but only one of them died. The two that hadn't been hit swiped at Zack, and he dodged just in time. He pivoted on one foot, swinging his leg around to hit the closest monster across the face. Another Iron Claw charged at him and he spun, swinging the Buster Sword in a high arc. The move took the head of the creature clean off, leaving the odds at three to one. He didn't dwell on this information and sent a Hell Thundaga at the closest enemy, also killing it.

Zack bit his tongue to smother a yell of pain when four claws raked across his back. Another Iron Claw had joined the fight. Even with the injury, he whipped around and impaled the beast in retaliation. He yanked the sword out and spun around to face his two last opponents with a grimace as he felt the warmth of his own blood dripping down his back.

His bright blue eyes reflected yellow and orange as three fireballs hurtled towards him. He grinned in relief, as he expected to feel a burst of energy and strength as Heike Soul absorbed the magical attack, but that never came. The fire connected with his torso, setting the front of his SOLDIER uniform aflame, and there was no hope of stopping the raw scream of pure agony that tore from his throat.

In that instant, his mind shot back to that morning. The rain had made his equipment uncomfortable, so he had taken it off once he found cover and set it aside while he dried. He hadn't thought much of it then, as he was fully intent on re-equipping them before he went into battle again. Only, he'd been drained of energy and forgotten. That rookie mistake was now likely going to cost him his life.

He stumbled back, desperate not to lose his footing completely. The pain blinded him to the next attack, and he didn't see it until his skin had waves of electric currents dancing across it. He couldn't scream as shock overtook his mind and body. He only managed a few weak, strained groans, and then the magic faded, leaving every inch of his skin searing. His legs caved in, sending him flat onto his back in the wet, blue-green grass of the forest.

His vision blurred and his breath came in sharp gasps. If he'd been in better condition, he might have laughed. He'd been through so much: made it to 1st, killed his own mentor, escaped Shinra, defeated Genesis, and even held his own against the mighty Sephiroth, yet he was going to die now from a simple rookie mistake and leave his best friend for dead. He fought to keep his eyes open, even though he knew his chances of survival were next to none. The monster drew close, and he prepared for the end.

Then, just as the monster was readying the deathblow, a Firaga turned its friend to ash. Zack stared uncomprehendingly as his former enemy charged onto the battlefield at a speed he didn't know the man possessed. Some small part of his mind realized just how injured Genesis had been the last time they fought. They had been almost evenly matched before, but now Zack knew why the Banoran thought others below him. Most SOLDIER were, probably including him.

"-iar!" Zack felt Genesis tap the side of his face in quick, repeated motions. Zack realized must have blacked out, because it seemed to him that Genesis had just appeared at his side. "Hold on..."

_Burning._ Oh, how his wounds were _burning_.

Zack gave a slow, dreary blink and he suddenly saw their location had changed. Another blackout must have hit him.

By then, he'd gathered the strength to let out a strangled scream as he felt Genesis putting pressure on his wounds with one hand while he searched his pockets with the other.

"Who's Aerith?"

Zack's eyes shot from being closed in pain to wide open. "Wh-what? How...how do you–?"

"You called for her. She your girl?"

He cringed in pain and gave a weak nod. "Y-yeah."

"Tell me about her." Genesis ripped the lid off an Ether and downed it before searching his pockets again, presumably for a type of Cure materia.

"Why do you care?" Zack snapped, extremely reluctant to give his former enemy _any_ type of information on himself, especially about the girl he loved.

"To be perfectly honest with you, Zachary, I couldn't care less about your personal life. I'm just trying to keep you focused so you don't lose consciousness and die."

Zack barked out a laugh. "Wow... your bedside manner... _sucks_. _Ah!_" The wound Genesis was putting pressure on suddenly flared in blinding pain, and Zack jerked as muscles gave a spasm, causing his back to arch.

Genesis cracked a smirk as he held Zack down softly. "I never claimed otherwise. Now, tell me about your girl."

"What about her?" Zack groaned as he shuddered in agony.

Genesis actually rolled his eyes. "I will repeat: I _do not care_. What's she like? How does she look? Just pick one and stay conscious."

Zack weakly nodded as he felt the mako in his system trying to close his injuries. He knew Genesis was right. He had to find something to keep him breathing, and Aerith was a very good choice. "She's...a flower girl...sweet...not a fighter..."

Genesis glanced up from his search to raise an eyebrow, but quickly returned to his task. He pulled a green orb from his jacket and frowned at it before it lit up, and Zack felt the healing take affect.

"It's just a Regen–keep talking." Genesis stared at the materia, looking deep in concentration, and it lit up even brighter.

Oh, that felt better already. "She's got...light brown hair...and these...beautiful...forest green eyes..." A frown crossed his face. "What are you doing?"

"I am accelerating the healing process of this materia."

"What? You can't do that..."

Genesis smirked. "Truly? Then how do you explain your lack of injuries?"

Zack glanced down at his chest and his eyes widened. He'd felt the pain lessening, but he hadn't expected his wounds to be almost completely healed over. He sat up half way, using his elbows to prop himself upright. "How did you...?"

Genesis chuckled. "I genuinely find it sad what Shinra teaches its recruits about magic." He tossed the materia in the air, caught it, and then put it back in his coat. "They could be capable of so much more."

Zack observed him with a tense posture, his mouth set in a firm line.

Genesis obviously noticed the hostility and suspicion Zack knew he was practically radiating, and he lifted a brow. "Even after I save your life, you still keep up your guard?"

Zack had no reply and his expression stayed the same.

Genesis smirked yet again. "A wise choice. Angeal trained you well."

Zack felt himself involuntarily flinch at the mention of his mentor and his brows drew closer together in a frown. "What do you want, Genesis? Why are you here?"

"I am here"–Genesis shifted from his kneeling position, rising to his full height–"because I owe you a debt." He cocked his head. "I don't much like having debts. So, I am going to repay you, and then we will go our separate ways." He offered his gloved hand down to Zack.

The hostility Zack was supporting fizzled out. He never was good at carrying grudges–he just didn't have the personality for it. Even so, he dragged himself to his feet on his own. Grudge or no grudge, he wasn't about to let Genesis see him as weak anymore than he already did. "Consider us even," he grunted, staggering a few feet past Genesis while he tried to recover his bearings.

Genesis appeared to have moved them to the fake camp he'd set up. He knew Shinra was looking for them, so he'd set up a fake camp and then made their real one close by, camouflaged. It was an effective way of alerting him when troops were in the area. It also led them into a trap if they followed the obvious footsteps into the woods.

Zack hoped Cloud was okay during his absence. As soon as Genesis left, he was going to have to return to him and then get his equipment back on. He was _not_ going to make that mistake twice.

"I disagree." Genesis' voice broke his thoughts, and he turned back to face him. "I don't feel I've repaid you evenly yet."

Zack sighed, irritated, and leaned his head back. "Well, what _will_ make you feel like that?" He honestly preferred Genesis just _leaving_ right then.

There was a brief pause. "Allow me to accompany you wherever you're going."

Zack sighed again, dropping his head forward. "That's really not necessary..."

Genesis tilted his head and raised an eyebrow. "You cannot tell me you wouldn't like some assistance getting your friend through all this." He gestured to the woods around them without taking his eyes off Zack.

Zack blinked quickly. "Cloud's dead."

"You are a _terrible_ liar."

"What? I am not–" He cut himself off with a sigh. "Yeah, okay. Guilty as charged..."

"Indeed. Now, are we going to get moving, or wait for the lapdogs to track us down?"

Zack frowned and jerked his head to the left. "This way."

Genesis followed him through dense forest without a word. Zack led them around the traps he'd set very carefully. Once they'd arrived at the real camp, he immediately checked on Cloud, who he was relieved to find perfectly fine.

"Hey, buddy, sorry that took so long," he muttered under his breath as placed a hand on the infantryman's forehead to make sure wasn't catching a fever.

Zack spun around suddenly, ready for combat, when he felt Genesis grab his shoulder. Genesis' gaze was hard as held something in his face, oblivious to the fact that Zack was very close to trying to decapitate him with the Buster Sword. "Where did you get this?"

His voice was so serious and harsh, Zack forgot about attacking him and narrowed his eyes on the object. They widened as he realized exactly what accessory of his Genesis had found, and he snatched it back. Heike Soul was not something he wanted in his former enemy's hands. "You mind not stealing my stuff? In a cave on a mission."

"Hm." Genesis didn't appear to hear the first part of what Zack said, or he just didn't care. "It's a very nice find. I wouldn't recommend letting it out of your sight."

"Yeah, well, I don't intend to again..."

"Ah, so _that _was the mistake you made then." He was smirking again. "The rookie error."

Zack had the urge to punch the smirk off his face, but he refrained and settled for a scowl. "Get some rest. We can head for Midgar once the rain lets up a bit."

Genesis' eyebrows shot up. "_Midgar_?"

He nodded.

Genesis stared at him in disbelief. "As in, the source of all Shinra's forces?"

As though he needed reminding. Another nod.

Genesis blinked slowly. "Are you completely _mad_?"

Zack shrugged. "I suppose it's a possibility."

Genesis gave him a withering glare. "Fine. Midgar it is. I hope you know what you're doing." He pushed past him, walking off.

"So do I..." Zack whispered, and then frowned. "Where are you going?"

"To get an aerial view of the perimeter," Genesis called back.

* * *

It had been two days since Genesis had joined forces with his fellow ex-1st Class, and few words had been spoken from then on. It was safe to say neither trusted the other, and Zack's hand still flew to his sword hilt every time Genesis made the slightest move. Genesis would merely raise an eyebrow at him and go back to what he was doing at the time, inwardly rolling his eyes.

It was obvious to him Zack was less than happy about the situation, but Genesis was content due to the fact he had no other plans. He found it refreshing to wing it for a change after all his years of plotting against Shinra. This was more of a vacation for him than anything else. He was especially fond of the silence, which he hadn't expected from Zack, though he suspected it wouldn't last much longer. Midgar was several weeks' travel away, after at, and he couldn't imagine someone like Zack to remain silent for that long. He turned out to be correct on the third day.

They had just made camp again in a calm, secluded clearing. With Genesis around, they no longer had to worry about smoke from campfires, because he had long ago discovered how to make special materia fires, which didn't cause any smoke. The previous days had gone by smoothly, and the few battles they had run into against monsters had taken next to no time with their combined forces. This left the two SOLDIERs and one infantryman at relative ease of their surroundings.

Crickets chirped and the fire crackled as they sat by it, minding their own business. Genesis had taken to sharpening his sword far more often than necessary simply because it unnerved Zack, and that was something he had no problem admitting he enjoyed. Every so often he saw the younger man's eye twitch, which made him smirk.

"What is it with you and that sword?" Zack asked when Genesis guessed his patience had finally worn thin. "I mean, it only has one materia slot. Surely you found better when you were taking on missions?"

Genesis' hand halted abruptly. He'd been expecting Zack to snap at him to cut it out, not strike such a sensitive topic.

"It was a gift," he answered finally, his voice as distant as his gaze, which was completely unfocused. "Angeal gave it to me as a temporary weapon when I was promoted to 1st. He thought it would be better than the standard SOLDIER swords, but that I would replace it quickly." He shook his head with a faint, sad smile. "Never could bring myself to part with it. Instead, I tried experimenting on it to make it better. I did, but I never could do anything about the single materia slot."

He set the sword aside in the grass, no longer in the mood to bother Zack. An uncomfortable silence fell between them as they both recalled their separate memories of Angeal. The silence probably would have stayed for a while had Zack's alarmed warning not shattered it only a few minutes later.

"Um, Genesis?" Zack's voice made Genesis snap his gaze up to find the other man with wide eyes, which were staring at the ground near the campfire on the redhead's side. "Your arm is on _fire!_"

If Zack's tone had not been so panicked, Genesis might have thought it a joke. As things were, however, he instantly snapped his line of sight down to check if the Gongagan was telling the truth. Much to redhead's dismay, his arm, was in fact, _on fire_. A curse slid from his lips as jerked his left arm away from the edge of the campfire and started swatting at the flames to put them out. Had he not been so focused on his thoughts of Angeal before, he would have smelled skin burning. Even though he hadn't fully put the flames out, he could easily see his jacket was ruined and he had second degree burns going up his arm to his elbow.

He stared at the burns intently, waiting–no, _hoping_–for the pain to come.

It didn't.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Zack staring at him, somehow managing to look horrified, concerned, and confused at the same time. "Could you not feel that?" he demanded.

Genesis swallowed, not taking his eyes off his scorched hand and arm. "No."

Zack's eyebrows drew close together. "_What?_"

Genesis shook his head. "I can't feel anything in this arm. I thought it was merely a lingering side effect of the degradation, that it would dissipate in few days time, but... it's not going away."

Zack tilted his head. "Any idea why?"

Genesis frowned, finally dropping his arm and reaching into his coat with the other to grab his Regen materia. "Well, it_ was_ the first area to be affected by the degradation." The materia lit up and the burns began to heal slowly. "I had a shoulder injury that wouldn't heal. It spread from there." Even healed, the flesh didn't look healthy. It was several shades paler than his normal skin tone and would have seemed more in place attached to a corpse. Still, that was nothing compared to his shoulder, which he knew was rather grotesque in appearance.

"Shoulder injury?" Zack's eyes lit up with understanding. "Oh, from the sparring match with Sephiroth?"

Genesis' eyes snapped over to Zack, narrowed into a glare. "Angeal told you of that?"

Zack shook his head. "Nah. Seph did a few years back."

His glare softened. "Honestly?"

"Uh-huh, yeah. Why?"

Genesis shook his head. "He wasn't usually that open. You must have truly won his friendship."

Zack didn't reply for a few seconds, but when he did, he also shook his head. "How did things get so messed up so fast?"

Genesis blinked slowly. "I don't know Zachary. I truly don't."

The rest of the night passed in complete silence. Neither Zack nor Genesis felt the urge to speak after the memories of their dead friends had been brought up. The mere mention of them seemed to completely drain both their energy and drive them into their own separate thoughts.

* * *

**Annnnd cut! :D I'm guessing you all noticed the changes? I'm doing things a bit different this time around. Everything I had in the last prologue is not gone (though some of it is); it's just been pushed into another chapter since this was getting so long. :) **

**Now, I'm sure some of you are thinking Aerith is a bit out of character. I have reasons for that! They will be revealed in a later chapter.**

**Also, reviews make a happy author! No reviews make an author that doesn't update! :) (I would really like to know what you think of the crossover bits too!)  
**

**And also, my scene breaks are being stupid. Please let me know if I missed any.  
**


	2. Chapter 1

***gasp* Could it be? Two updates in one day? Yes, it can! :) You guys have been so supportive and patient, I decided to go ahead and post this chapter along with the Prologue so you get TWO chapters before NaNo.**

**NOTE: Due to COMPLETE lack of interest, the sequel set during Dissidia 012 has been canceled. I have another sequel in mind set after Advent Children now that I have real internet and can watch DoC. *happy dance* ...Or should I be? ...I've heard that game is terrible.**

**This is going to be the last you all hear from me till NaNo is over, so enjoy it! That's an order! lol **

**Disclaimer: I OWN FFVII! I'M A BILLIONAIRE! TOTALLY! THAT'S WHY I'M HANGING OUT ON ! See? NOBODY CARES!**

* * *

**Date: September 10, 0007 **

**Location: The Wilderness**

"Anything?" Zack asked with a yawn as he glanced up from his lounged position on the ground at Genesis as he reentered clearing in which they were currently camping.

"Not a soul in sight. We should be safe to move." Genesis walked past him without even bothering to spare a glance down. The rain had died down the night before, leaving the ground drenched and the air unpleasantly humid. They no longer needed fires, though Genesis wondered if even he was capable of starting one under the current weather conditions.

"Great." Zack rolled back briefly before rocking forward and using the momentum to land on his feet.

Genesis ignored his antics and waited impatiently as Zack grabbed the backpack he was always carrying around before lifting Cloud to his feet and dragging him along.

Things hadn't changed much in the last few days. The men were still at odds, and the tension between them wasn't easing. In fact, if anything, it was growing. Genesis was not fond of the slow progress they were making because of Cloud and it was causing him to become increasing irritated, much to Zack's obvious dismay.

The day began to take on the same routine as the last few as they started into the woods again. Every step seemed to hurtle them towards Midgar at an impossible speed, the very notion of which made Genesis want to empty his stomach into the nearest bush, but he settled for a displeased expression and stalked on. Slowly. He muttered under his breath as Zack tried to keep up.

"What was that?" Zack asked.

"I said you walk like a city dweller!" He snapped, letting out some of the anger he'd been suppressing for days. "Honestly, I don't know how you've not betrayed our presence to every creature in this forest!"

Zack flinched, then a scowl darkened the faint shadows beneath his eyes. "What is your _problem_, man? Why are you always so freakin' ticked at_ everything_?"

Genesis spun around, his eyes flashing with rage. "My _problem_, Zachary, is that every single member of the Shinra army is out looking for us, and instead forming an intelligent plan, we are walking straight into enemy headquarters where every armed man and woman's order is to shoot us on sight. And to bring our chances of survival from mediocre to microscopic, you are burdened with dragging an already half dead, entirely useless man who is slowing our progress, causing your stealth trainer to roll over in his grave, and exponentially increasing our chances of being discovered!"

Zack glared back at him. "You know, I don't remember asking you to come along! In fact, I'm pretty sure I–"

"Hush," Genesis said suddenly, his eyes defocusing on his surrounds as years of training caused his left hand to form the military sign for silence.

"What? No, I will not–"

"_Shut up._" Genesis repeated the sign, harsher this time. "I hear something."

Zack complied, perhaps also picking up on the sound, and Genesis tilted his head in an attempt to hear better. A chocobo was trotting in their direction, he realized. A chocobo with a rider on it. Genesis readied his materia, and Zack shifted awkwardly into a fighting stance while still holding Cloud up.

Genesis relaxed slightly as a teenaged girl came riding into their line of sight. She was either far from being a Shinra employing, or wearing a _very_ convincing disguise, because everything about her–from her big brown eyes and golden pigtail braids to her brightly colored outfit and cowgirl hat–screamed she was an innocent farm girl.

"Well, good mornin' to ya there!" she called cheerfully, waving her hand.

"And you, miss," Genesis called back–at a slightly lesser volume, since she getting closer–with an inclination of his head.

Her smile was bright. "How you boys doin' today?"

"We are well, thank you. Yourself?" Genesis' tone voice had gone from irritated to absolutely polite. Zack sent him a baffled glance at the sudden change, which he caught out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm just fine." Her smile faltered slightly as she set her eyes on Cloud–who frankly looked dead–and Zack, whose uniform top was so shredded it couldn't technically be said he was wearing a shirt anymore. "You sure you boys are all right?"

"Quite so, ma'am." Genesis blinked slowly, keeping eye contact with her. "We encountered some fiends earlier, but we will all survive, I assure you."

Even after Zack gave her what Genesis guessed to be his most winning smile to back him up, she just raised an eyebrow. "You all need a place to stay the night? My daddy runs an inn a little ways over yonder; I'm sure he'd let you stay a night free if your friend there is injured."

Genesis opened his mouth to decline the offer, but Zack piped up before he could. "Well, that is certainly a generous offer, young lady. I believe we'll have to take you up on it."

He shot Zack a murderous look.

The girl beamed. "Well, great! You boys can just follow me, then!"

Genesis cleared his throat loudly. "Certainly, miss, but if you don't mind, I'd like to have a word with my friend here first."

She shrugged, dismounting the chocobo while keeping hold of the reins. "Sure thing. Take your time. I'll look after the chocobos." She jerked her head at Cloud with a grin.

Zack laughed at her joke and gently set Cloud in the grass before Genesis grabbed his arm and dragged him off.

"What are you _doing_?" Genesis hissed once they were out of hearing range.

"Saving my best friend's life!" Zack yanked his arm out of the redhead's grip. "We maybe able to keep traveling in these conditions, but he can't!"

Genesis clinched his fists, seething in barely controled rage. "Every moment we delay, Shinra draws closer to finding us! What about that can you not wrap your infinitesimal brain around?"

"I understand fine!" Zack growled. "I don't care about me! If we have a chance of saving his life, that is a risk I am willing to take!"

"We cannot afford to leave a trail like this–"

"What if it was Angeal?"

Genesis stopped dead. The anger in his veins dissipated in a matter of moments. It was several seconds before he spoke again, this time softer. "We only stay as long as we have to." Zack's face lit up with a grin as Genesis continued. "No real names, and do not so much as hint as to the real reason we're out here. Deny any affiliation with Shinra."

Zack slapped him on the shoulder. "You got it."

* * *

Another day passed as Genesis rested in the comfort of a home for the first time in years. He could almost feel at ease, but his SOLDIER instincts prevented that, though the Kollers were pretty much the perfect definition of a happy family. In fact, that was causing further unease. He tried to dismiss it, but every time he saw them smile at each other, it was like a splintering wooden knife was being driven through his torso. It reminded him far too much of his own parents.

Strangely enough, Zack seemed to also have a certain sadness in his eyes whenever he looked at them. Genesis guessed he missed his own family, but he couldn't be sure because he still was avoiding any conversation with the man. Still, he wouldn't let his own weakness show, so he hid behind a polite facade to the generous farmers and innkeepers and tossed a few glares at Zack when they weren't looking.

At least, that was how thing started. But then Cloud's condition improved a bit, which made Zack insist they take up Koller's offer of staying a few days longer. Genesis felt far more tolerant towards the cadet ever since Zack had asked what he would have done if it were Angeal. That one question affected him deeply–much more than he knew Zack intended.

They needed to leave, of that Genesis was sure, but he couldn't bring himself to approach the topic. The longer they stayed, the less the knife hurt and the more relaxed he became. It was wonderful to meet people so...innocent, so completely unaware of the darkness the world held. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen something so precious. He found himself watching them interact with each other, envying the undying energy and light in their eyes. They had no battles to fight, no one hunting them down. They were completely content with their lives.

On one particular night, a week from when they'd first met the girl they now knew as Kailani, Genesis stood on the second floor of the house, just above the small, pristinely cleaned, simple living room, where the family played a board game. The house was built in a way that indoor balconies overlooked each of the bottom floor rooms, except the kitchen, which gave him a clear line of sight to them. He was leaning against the wall–his enhanced sight picking up even the smallest speck of dust on the floor below–garbed in a spare, short sleeved black shirt and simple black pants the family kept on hand for emergencies. It was the first time he'd truly been out of his Shinra uniform in years, and though it left him with less protection were a battle to occur, he enjoyed the change. He took pleasure in just...watching them as the parents–Garak and Ezria–tried to explain the rules to their youngest child, Jael, who was only eight years old. Kailani, who was fourteen, tried to assist and ended up being much more successful than her mother and father, which caused them to scowl in mock anger and make the two girls giggle.

At some point, Genesis heard Zack approach, but he didn't divert his attention from the antics progressing below, even when Zack took a similar position next to him.

"I always used to wonder what it was like to have sibling." Zack's voice was soft, as though he was afraid to break the peaceful atmosphere. "Used to dream about having a brother."

"I always wanted a sister." Genesis had no idea what made him actually reply, but the words just spilled out. He sensed Zack looking at him, startled, as he stared at Kailani and Jael. He knew why: he normally ignored Zack when he tried to talk to him, resulting in an awkward silence and Zack clearing his throat and shuffling away.

"A...a sister? Really?"

Genesis tipped his head once. "Angeal was always so close to being a brother that I never needed to imagine having one."

"Huh. Cool." Genesis nearly rolled his eyes at Zack's response, but the sudden longing in Zack's tone made him pause. "These people make me miss my family."

Genesis finally tore his gaze from the children. "Don't get any ideas. Shinra no doubt has your home town being watched."

Zack dropped his head. "I know that. I just wish I could let them know I'm okay."

"You can't risk that. Try to forget about them."

Zack cocked his jaw to the side. "You know, that may be easy for you, but some people actually care about their parents."

Genesis could almost feel the shade of his eyes turning darker. Zack bit his lip, obviously realizing his mistake. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Genesis' fist connected with his face before he could say anything.

Zack stumbled, and Genesis stepped forward, grabbing the front of his shirt and slamming him into the wooden wall with a loud _thud_. His hands shook in rage. "Do you honestly think they meant_ nothing_ to me? Do you truly believe I have _no_ regrets? I would give _anything_ to take back the mistakes I've made! To bring them back... all of them." His voice dropped in volume, his last words barely a whisper.

It was only then he realized the family on the floor below had stopped playing their game. He dragged his eyes from Zack's surprised ones to look behind him and down to the first level. Sure enough, all four of the individuals were staring at him. Garak had pulled his daughters closer, protectively holding them close to him. Genesis blinked once, reining in his emotions. He released Zack and walked across the balcony and into the next room. "We need to move on from here."

* * *

Unfortunately, things were just not going Genesis' way as of late. Instead of asking them to leave, the family seemed to pretend the incident never happened. Genesis wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or confused. Why would they not be worried for the safety of their children, or even for themselves? Were they just brave, or completely mad? He decided a little of both and didn't speak again until the next night.

That night was different from the ones before due to the fact Garak and Ezria both had projects that needed doing in different parts of the house, though they didn't specify what they were. All Genesis had figured out was they were "one person jobs" from the way they rejected Zack's offer to help.

This development had left the home oddly quiet–especially since he was avoiding Zack–and Genesis had, with nothing better to do, settled down in the living room and started reading his old copy of LOVELESS.

About halfway through Act III, Kailani shuffled into the room and dropped a large stack of books on the floor before plopping down ungracefully next to them. She didn't try to strike up a conversation, so Genesis returned his attention to his book.

Fifteen minutes later, he heard a low growl emanate from her, and glanced up to find her scowling at a textbook with her head propped in her hand while she lolled on her stomach. At least she was somewhat quiet about her frustration.

"Something the matter there, kiddo?"

...And there went quiet.

Genesis sighed inwardly as Zack bounded into the room and peered over Kailani's shoulder.

"Ugh. Just working on my Wutainese homework." Kailani dropped her hand down to the page and snatched up her previously abandoned pencil. Zack made a face at the subject name, though Kailani couldn't see it. "You happen to know what the Wutainese word for "bird" is?" She looked over her shoulder, her big brown eyes looking hopeful.

Zack blinked twice. "Uhhh..."

"Uccello." Genesis could feel both pairs of eyes on him, but he made a point of keeping his attention on his book. "The Wutainese word for bird: uccello."

"Wait, you speak Wutainese?" Zack tilted his head as Genesis brought his gaze up.

"Ho per molti anni."

Another double blink. "Eh?"

Genesis rolled his eyes. "_Yes._"

Suddenly, Kailani snapped her book closed, drawing the attention of both ex-SOLDIERs. "Well, I'm done then," she said cheerfully. She flashed a bright smile at them and dodged around the coffee table before taking a seat at the piano, which Genesis had somehow managed to miss noticing in the past days. Her hands hovered over the keys for a moment, and then she turned back to them. "Is this gonna bug you guys?"

Zack shrugged. "Nah."

Genesis made a dismissive gesture and went back to reading.

Kailani starting playing and Genesis caught Zack taking a seat next to her on the bench put of the corner of his eye. It became clear very quickly to him that the girl was either new to the instrument or just not very good. He guessed new, considering she didn't seem to know the keys well. After several off keys and noticeable hesitations, she let out a muffled sound of irritation and paused.

"Try not to get frustrated; it only further breaks your concentration." Genesis culled every possible trace of emotion from his voice. His eyes continued to fly across the page, though his mind didn't absorb a word of it.

"Do you play?" Kailani asked a few seconds later.

Zack laughed. "The piano? Nah. I never was really interested in music."

"Oh...what about you?"

Genesis _did_ look up at that, slightly surprised. "Me?" He shook his head. "No..."

"Wait a second." Zack's eyes narrowed and a smile tugged at his lips. "You hesitated."

"I did not."

Kailani grinned. "Oh, yes, you did."

Genesis sighed deeply, closing his book and setting it aside on the wooden and glass table next to the chair he was sitting in. "It was a long time ago..."

"Ha! I knew it!" Zack gave a fist pump.

"You should play something!" Kailani grinned at him. "_Please?_"

Genesis sighed again, rubbing his forehead.

"Aw, come on, man!" Zack put his hands on Kailani's shoulders. "Do it for the kid." Kailani started making puppy dog eyes.

"_All right,_" Genesis growled, rising from his chair. "On the condition that you two stop hounding me."

"You've got a deal!" Zack jumped off the bench and Kailani slid over to give him room.

Genesis slowly made his way over to the low, worn bench and took a seat, running his right hand across the top of the piano. It was old and wooden, made from the same trees that grew all around the area, if he wasn't mistaken. Some parts were cracked or dented, but overall, it was in good condition. His fingers trailed down to the yellow tinted keys and he cast a wary glance at his left hand, which had miraculously gone unnoticed by the family, despite its deathly pale color and the short-sleeved shirts he'd been wearing. While the keys were smooth and polished to his other hand, could feel no hint sensation in the fingertips of his left. It appeared he was going to have to play by sight.

"It's been years since I've touched one of these," he muttered.

Zack snorted, and Genesis knew he knew mako improved muscle memory. If he had ever learned anything on the piano, he would remember how to play it now.

But what to play? He thought over the compositions he'd learned so long ago, but a particular melody stood out among all the others, each note like diamond as it resonated through his memory. It was one of his teacher's favorites, and it had been his absolute favorite since he'd first heard it.

The other songs, paltry ditties that they were, didn't stand a chance. His ring finger found the first key, and in an instant, both hands were slowly dancing across the keys, creating a beautiful, yet seemingly sorrowful melody. He didn't pay attention to Zack and Kailani's reactions: he just kept playing, taking in the beautiful notes for the first time since he was a child.

So many memories, and not just of the times he'd played before. No, the tune was deeper than that. It brought back everything. Genesis could feel his mind retreating from reality with every note played. He didn't need to hear it; it was clear in his memory.

The day he'd first started learning the tune was when he'd stopped seeing piano lessons as a boring waste of time. He'd been playing it the first time his mother stopped cleaning the house to listen to him practice with his tutor. He'd been playing it the first time his father ever gave him a compliment on such a thing. He'd been playing it when Angeal came over to the house to ask something, but stopped when he heard the song. He'd played for some wealthy guests his parents had over for dinner, and they adored him for it.

So many memories playing through his head all at once. How he'd met Angeal, how he'd met Sephiroth, the immediate longing that filled his stomach when he first heard of Shinra, when he'd first heard of SOLDIER, every mission, every promotion, every time he'd been snide and arrogant to those he'd once called his friends, the last time the three of them had been together before that single sparing match that changed everything. Oh, how he wished the recollections would stop there, but they didn't. They kept coming, moving onto the worse times. His desertion came first, and then everything after that.

His playing speed increased the more he remembered, and his fingers few over the keys with an ease he never possessed when he played as a child. His anger at everything around him seemed to fade, replaced by a deep sadness at what he'd lost. He poured his emotions into the music without even realizing it, forcefully jamming down the keys. The images in front of him blurred, replaced by the sight of his hometown burning, of the blood of those closest to him splattering, painting whatever it came into contact with that deathly red.

He'd torn his friends apart. He might as well have killed them with his own blade, but even that would have been less painful for them than what really happened. He'd driven Angeal and Sephiroth off the edge of sanity. Driven them to death. It was as simple as that. And what had it gotten him? The cure to his ailment, yes, but what was he supposed to do now? Help Zack reach Midgar, and then what? He had no home, no family, no friends. Zack was the only one who knew he was _alive_. Why had he even gone to such great lengths to preserve his own life? He didn't have the answer to that. Human survival instincts, perhaps? But then again, he wasn't human.

It seemed to take a lifetime–perhaps two–to finish the piece. As he neared the end, the pace of the fury died down, returning to the calmer pace with which he'd started. The last key he pressed very gently, and then silence fell upon the room again.

Complete silence. He blinked once, returning to reality. He hesitantly turned his head to the right. He'd expected Zack and Kailani to be watching him, not for them to be staring at him wide-eyed along with Jael, Garak, and Ezria, who he guessed had heard the piano and come to see who was playing if not Kailani.

More silence.

Ezria cleared her throat. "Dinner's ready..."

Kailani snapped out of her trance. "Yum!" In the blink of an eye, she was up and heading for the dining room. Jael followed closely behind her, and the parents cast a few glances back as they slowly migrated out of the living room.

Soon, the two ex-SOLDIER were left alone in the oppressive silence that had fallen once again.

"Where'd you learn that?" Zack asked softly.

Genesis withdrew his hands from their resting position on the keys. "My parents were wealthy: they made sure I got a good education. That included learning Wutainese and at least one instrument from the private tutors they hired. Or at least, simply taking the lessons. I wasn't ever particularly good at them."

Zack's eyebrows shot up. "Are you kidding? You're fantastic! Seriously, man, you're like–"

"Just stop!" Genesis snapped, and Zack flinched. "Gaia, why do you always have to..." He trailed off, letting out a sigh, closing his eyes and bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

"Have to what?"

Genesis dropped his hand and opened his eyes with a huff. "Be so _polite_! No matter how despicable an individual is, you always treat them with the utmost courtesy!"

Zack stared blankly. "Let me get this straight...you don't like me, insult me, yell at me, and threaten to incinerate me on a regular basis...because it annoys you that I'm_ nice _to people?"

Silence. Well, it sounded fully ridiculous when put that way.

Genesis diverted his gaze to the floor. "No... that's part of it, I suppose..." He sighed again. "Angeal descended into sorrow and shame, Sephiroth became insane, and I...was worse than the both of them together. _You_ still fight for honor, still believe in fighting for a greater good, still retain part of that cheerful optimism you carried the day we met. I simply...wish I could have done the same, wish Angeal and Sephiroth could have done the same."

Zack let out a dry, humorless laugh, and Genesis looked up to find his eyes lacking their usual spark. "You and me both. I feel horrible for not losing it sometimes. The fact that I'm able to keep going when they couldn't...I just feel like there's something _wrong _with me."

Genesis shook his head. "No. You were the best of us. The only one of us who was incorruptible. I thought Angeal had lost his mind when he first picked you as his student, but I realize now that he'd seen that in you from the beginning." He paused, taking a breath. "They're probably waiting for us." He stood, not waiting for a reply as he headed for the dining room.

* * *

Zack was not a civilized child. He was loud, hyper, and very talkative, often blurting out things that would bring those around to a complete silence. This being said, the dinner table at which he was currently seated had the most oppressive, awkward silence he'd ever had the misfortune of encountering.

He couldn't find his appetite, which was saying something for a mako enhanced male who'd been locked in a lab for over four years. Everyone else wasn't much different. Everyone, that was, expect for Jael, who was oblivious to the entire situation and chomping away happily on her baked potato. Kailani remained slouched in her chair the entire meal, avoiding looking at anything but her food, while Garak and Ezria cast the nervous occasional glance in Genesis' direction. Genesis, for the most part, was wearing a mask of indifference, but Zack could tell he was uncomfortable. His piano playing was what caused this, after all.

Zack had first thought the family was just shocked at how well he played, but he realized the true reason soon enough. The way Genesis had played was not what one would hear from a simple tune. The emotions he had put into it were so deep, so tortured, it was almost frightening to listen to.

He needed time to think.

His fork clattered against his plate when he dropped it, causing everyone to jump slightly and lock eyes on him. Ignoring their gazes, he wiped his mouth with his napkin and stood. "Excuse me."

He didn't look back again as he retreated to his room.

* * *

Zack found himself unable to sleep that night as he lay in one of the many guest beds of the inn. He sighed as his eyes–which he knew were now a dark, shimmering blue due to the lack of light–raked across the plain ceiling without really focusing on anything.

Though Genesis had done so much wrong, Zack had always hoped to save him, even if it was only to do what little he could to fulfill Angeal's last wishes. He'd never really liked the man; in fact, he'd always wondered what Angeal possibly could have seen in him. Genesis had always seemed so cold and heartless, but the past few nights, Zack had seen others sides to him. Slowly, as he spent more time with the Banoran, he was beginning to see through his facade.

A sudden, light knock on the door had Zack out of bed in instant and ready to for a fight. He quietly lifted the Buster Sword from its place by the bed and stepped over to the door. He opened the door just a crack, keeping the Buster Sword hidden, and sighed in relief and then frowned, opening the door fully. "Genesis, what–"

"What did you tell them?" The blue light from that night's half-moon cascaded in from window a in the hallway, reflecting off Genesis' pale skin and making it hard to read his expression. His voice was neutral, too, which gave Zack no clue as to what mood he was in.

He blinked. "Eh?"

"None of them have so much as mentioned the other night when I...lost control. Parents do not simply ignore things such as that when their children could be at risk."

Oh, _that_. When he'd punched him and slammed him into the wall.

Zack shuffled his feet, running his toes through the soft, shaggy carpet. "I told them I deserved it."

Genesis was good at keeping his facial expression blank, but his eyes betrayed his confusion. "Why?"

Zack scratched the back of his head. "Because I did. I should have known better than to bring up your parents. I guess I just built up this image of you being cruel and uncaring over the years...but I realize now that I misjudged you."

Genesis eyes had softened slightly. "I'm afraid I misjudged you as well, Zachary."

He cringed and held his hand up. "It's just Zack."

A faint smirk tugged at his lips. "As you wish."

A few seconds of silence passed before either spoke again. Zack gave a smile and held out his right hand. "Truce?"

Genesis eyed the hand momentarily before reaching forward and gripping it with his own. He locked eyes with Zack and gave him a slow nod.

Zack grinned and pulled back his arm to prop it on the doorway. "All right! Good to have a friend around!"

Genesis arched a brow. "Don't push your luck."

Zack went dead serious and he cleared his throat. "Right, of course."

Genesis shook his head as he turned and started back down the moonlit hallway to his own room. "Goodnight, Zack."

"Wait."

Genesis stopped, glancing over his shoulder.

Zack dropped his gaze down. "I was thinking...maybe we should leave tomorrow."

Genesis tilted his head. "Any particular reason?"

He shrugged. "These people have been really generous; I don't want to put them in anymore danger."

Genesis let out slow breath.

"We leave first thing."

* * *

**And that's Chapter 1! :D Bored? No worries, we'll be back to the original start very soon. I hope you guys can understand what I'm doing here. It's this ancient part of story telling that most people don't use today. It's called "character development." You guys ever heard of it? :P**

**Oh, and here are two different versions of the song Genesis played. What I imagined was that he started off with the slow version, moved into the fast version, and then went back to the slow version in the end. **

w w w . youtube . (c)(o)(m) / watch? v = kubh - h - uVJI & feature = related

w w w . youtube . (c)(o)(m) / watch? v = Xwzwjt8Byvs & feature = related

**(Take out the spaces AND parentheses)**

**Let it be known it was like PULLING TEETH to get these stupid links to work! Grrrr!**

**Please review, or I will think you guys aren't interested and I will not update! :)**


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